Kim Carr to write a book on lack of faith in Labor Party

ANOTHER high profile victim of last month's failed leadership challenge is writing a book in the lead-up to the federal election outlining ways for the Labor Party to repair its damaged brand.

Senator Kim Carr, who resigned as human services minister in the wake of the bungled spill, will write a book focusing on generations X and Y who, he claims, have lost faith in the party.

He will lay out the case why the ALP remains important to these generations, even though they feel the party can no longer claim to be the party of social justice, reform and equality.

A Letter to Generation Next - why Labor? is one of two books being written by dumped Kevin Rudd loyalists, both of which will be published by Melbourne University Publishing ahead of the Federal Election on September 14.

Former Cabinet minister Chris Bowen will use his book, the details of which were released last week, to argue "why Labor can and must play a dominant role in Australian politics".

MUP said in a statement Senator Carr thought Labor, and not just the government, had lost its way in 2010 when Mr Rudd was dumped as leader during his first term in the role.

During the past 12 months Senator Carr had reflected on the "thorny issue of Labor values", the statement read."Across the world we see a growing hostility not just to progressive parties, but to the very idea of politics," Senator Carr said.

"This book is an attempt to explain why we should still give a damn. It's an argument to stick with Labor and believe in the progressive cause, no matter how tough the conditions may now seem.

"Someone has to stand up to the conservative right. Someone has to speak up for decency and human dignity. Australians ought to know that Labor can be that voice."

MUP CEO Louise Adler said Senator Carr was "ideally placed" to argue the case for Labor."Senator Carr's long years of service to the party and the cause of progressive politics makes him an ideal figure to advocate for Labor," Ms Adler said.

"In the lead-up to the next election the case for Labor needs to be made clearly and with passion. If Labor is to resonate with the electorate, beyond its traditional base in the union movement and the intelligentsia, it will need to persuade the next generation of its relevance and legitimacy."